HK

Hi, new user here.

Anyhow, I mostly ride on the road but have been getting back into mtb these past few years. Wonder what you all use for single speed offroad gearing in hillier terrain? (for 26" rims).

I have good purely hill gears for offroading in the woods but these all render the bike useless for anything involving blacktop. Maxes out at like 17 mph and that's spinning like mightymouse. What do you all use, and does it give a good compromise between climbing ability and going fast on flats / smooth surfaces / roadways?

- Elvis

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"Nothing happens in contradiction to nature, only in contradiciton to what we know of it" -- Dana Scully, The X-Files

I knew you were alive! Welcome Elvis, this place should fit you like a pair of ole' good socks!

My SS has 17x34 gearing on 27.5" wheels but I only ride it in Winter when high speeds are not that important.

Thanks. You mean, of course, 650b, right?

Well nearly killed myself today, took my 2nd s/s out, still trying to sort out a right gear. This one had way too much spin for my liking, or that of my lungs!

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"Nothing happens in contradiction to nature, only in contradiciton to what we know of it" -- Dana Scully, The X-Files

Spinning is good for your leg strength. If you can work up to averaging 100+ cadence for a prolonged period of time, you'll be much stronger in the long run.

I don't have lots of big hills or mountains near me, so I won't suggest any gearing for you, but definitely check out Sheldon Brown's gear inch calculator. It takes into account wheel size, crank size, etc, and will help you figure out your next choice of gear better.

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N00B DIY'er

Thanks, I haven't been to SB's site in ages!

The silly thing is, I rode (and still do sometimes ) a fixed gear on the street, in fact for a few years I pretty much commuted exclusively on it. but I was thinner then, and under 30, and also you don't have to worry about going over roots and ruts on the road!

The problem is taking road no-how to the dirt, and it's been interesting.
This one is perfect,

now just need an all round gear for the gary fisher (yeh the frame is, ideally, too big, but the thing was built entirely out of parts I had lying about (including frame) so i ain't complaining!

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"Nothing happens in contradiction to nature, only in contradiciton to what we know of it" -- Dana Scully, The X-Files

Now when thinking about it, I made a mistake. My SS DH bike has the 17x36 gear, the hardtail is 22x34 I think. Oops!